


A Few Words

by iwtv



Category: Black Sails
Genre: M/M, after Billy and the men have been freed, and Silver has brought Flint back to himself, definite blint fluff, takes place after 3.05
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 04:45:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6105334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwtv/pseuds/iwtv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James needs to have a few words with Billy on the Marooner's island. Something to hold me over until blint happens for real.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Few Words

The Queen’s village was like the many others James had seen during his time traversing the West Indies, except that the sheer, sprawling size of it was much greater than most other maroon communities.

As he walked through it he also felt comfortable and even familiar in a general sense with it and places like it. More so than his long-lost home across the Atlantic.

He nodded to the natives as he passed them. There was still tension in their expressions but they treated him and the crew with more trust now that they were on the same side of a looming war.

James at last arrived at his destination—a small, thatched-roof abode, one of several now housing the crews as they made plans for the return trip to Nassau. It was after dark and James saw that most of his crew had settled down, including Silver who laid under an open-walled tent, speaking softly amongst other crew members. James was thankful for Silver for several reasons now, but at the moment his thoughts were on someone else.

He walked past the other men and rapped lightly on the side of the thatched building. A hanging animal skin served as the door and through its edges James could see flickering light filling the interior. Billy pulled back the skin, blue-black eyes alighting on him.

“I thought we might have a few words,” said James.

With a nod Billy stepped back and let him inside, the skin dropping back in place behind them. James was surprised to find the rest of the place uninhabited. Seeing the question there, Billy said, “They’re still crowded around Silver. He was rambling on about your shark wrangling adventure.”

Billy didn’t quite roll his eyes. James laughed quietly, ghost of a smirk on his lips.

“I’m sure he had them riveted.”

“He bloody exaggerates,” said Billy drolly.

The bosun sat down on one of the single room’s crude beds, hands folded as he leaned his arms over his legs. James leaned against the wall in front of him. He licked his lips and considered what he was going to say.

“Mr. Silver said something to me the night I decided to plead our case to Mr. Scott’s wife,” he began. “He told me that you didn’t give a shit if I died or not.”

Billy’s head tilted up to look at him, face like orange liquid as the lantern’s flames flicked over it. He looked surprised, then he gave James a frown.

“You know how I feel about protecting the men,” Billy replied, straightening so that his broad chest seemed to puff out.

“I didn’t mean to suggest I wanted you dead,” he continued, “but my first loyalty is to them, and…I…”

Billy faltered. James saw the other man’s jaw tighten almost imperceptibly.

“Billy, I know all that. I wanted to tell you that I didn’t believe it, what Silver told me.”

Billy drew back, dark eyes looking over his captain much more carefully now. He rose slowly, his taller figure causing James's eyes to travel upwards as he rose. A tiny flicker of something swept through James as it always did when Billy loomed over him so close.

“I meant what I said,” Billy stated firmly. “If your loss would have meant the survival of even half the men—any honorable sailor would have come to the same conclusion.”

James smiled sadly at the emphasis Billy put on the word ‘honorable,’ yet he felt no ill will towards the bosun. He never had.

“You still think I’m so selfish?” he countered, pushing himself off the wall.

Billy frowned at him again, but this time his eyes were scanning his captain’s intensely.

“No. I don’t,” he said at length. “But it’s something that takes getting used to.”

James felt a pang in his chest at Billy’s raw honesty. But no longer did he harbor the old hostility in him or the need to viciously defend himself. Instead he conceded Billy’s point with a simple nod. Then, suddenly very uncomfortable, he forced the question out again anyway, “So you did meant it? About my dying?”

James watched the bosun carefully, maybe too carefully. Billy turned away from him, brows furrowing.

“You genuinely care what I think?” he asked softly. “Silver truly has worked wonders on you.”

Another pang in James's chest. It was clear to him now just how much resentment had built up in Billy, and James could hardly blame him.

“I’m sorry,” he said awkwardly. “It’s fucking hard to know where you and I stand most of the time. I meant only to clear the air.”

He’d spoken the words a bit harshly, letting his own frustrations regarding Billy seep through. He turned to leave but a hand suddenly clasped his wrist. Firmly.

“Wait.”

James froze and turned, letting the animal skin fall back into place. The light from the lantern still played tricks across the younger man’s face and James thought it annoyingly memorizing. The sudden intimacy from Billy’s hand seemed to throw them both off balance for a moment. Billy let go, eyes now darting almost shyly up to his captain.

“I do care,” he said. “Whether you live or die. I always have. I mean…I care.”

There was some underlying resolution in Billy’s tone that shocked James. Billy seemed to notice it as well and he shrugged and turned away, but didn’t move an inch though James saw he was uncomfortable.

Very slowly James reached out and let his fingers brush against Billy’s hand. Billy followed the movement but still didn’t react, didn’t move. So James's fingers curled into Billy’s hand, holding it so loosely he might have been simply handing something to the bosun. Billy looked at him full in the face now and James read the sudden chaos there—but still Billy didn’t pull away.

“Billy…” James started.

He cut himself off. What the fuck was he going to say? He had no idea, except that he wanted to say it.

Just when the awkward moment crested between them Billy suddenly surged forward and intertwined James's fingers into his own much more firmly, his face inches away from his captain’s. James looked up at him, finding his entire face unavoidable, including his lips…and then Billy kissed him.

A tiny moan escaped James's throat. Billy was gentle but forceful, pushing his tongue between James's lips and James opened up for him. He wasn’t sure which one of them pushed closer into the other, only that suddenly Billy’s legs and chest were pressed into his. That small, indistinguishable feeling he’d grown used to being close to Billy intensified, and he became intensely aware of the blood pumping through his veins and his heart beating in his chest.

He pulled away from Billy and their eyes met. Billy took a step back, pressing his lips together.

“I’m sorry, I just…”

“No,” said James quickly. “It’s all right.”

So many things rushed to James's tongue, things he wanted Billy to know, to feel, to simply hear. But the spell around them was broken when the crew outside began to stir again, bringing of them back into the world around them.

“They’ll be coming in to bunk for the night,” Billy said, looking at him almost sadly. James's chest tightened.

“I know. We’ll talk more in the morning. Discuss Nassau and what we’ll do and…other things?”

He looked imploringly at Billy and to his relief Billy nodded without hesitation. Then the bosun came to him again and kissed him with a passion this time and James let the remains of his reservations go and held Billy’s face gently between his hands, fingers pushing themselves through Billy’s soft hair and tongue eagerly entering his mouth.

And again the encounter was all too brief and they pulled away as the men’s muffled conversations grew louder and closer. James had to force himself not to step out of the hut backwards as Billy watched him leave. He turned and left, feeling as though he were leaving some brand new discovered thing behind in the hut and not just his bosun. As he left the building and crossed over to his own lodgings, James felt his heart come dangerously close to soaring, his feelings dangerously close to some ridiculous delirium. He settled down for the night, doubting that sleep would ever find him and not bothered by it. Instead he smiled to himself and rested his eyes, wondering what the future would bring.


End file.
